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Wednesday, June 21

Editor's Note: The CNN Wire is a running log of the latest news from CNN World Headquarters, reported by CNN's correspondents and producers, and The CNN Wire editors. "Posted" times are Eastern Daylight.

Major blazes on the move in parts of western United States

(CNN) -- Fed by drought, wildfires continue to move across parts of the the western United States, devouring acreage in four Western states.

In central Arizona just south of Flagstaff, a 2,456-acre fire has forced authorities to evacuate all 500 homes in Oak Creek Canyon, officials said. No homes or structures have been lost.

In southern Colorado, a 9,000-acre fire just west of Pueblo led officials to evacuate 280 structures, a fire official said.

In California's Los Padres National Forest, about five miles west of Cuyama, a 13,425-acre fire was threatening oil fields, natural gas lines and commercial resources.

And in Gila National Forest, in southwestern New Mexico, a 24,300-acre fire was zero percent contained 17 miles northeast of Glenwood, according to the National Fire Information Center.

So far this year, wildfires have swept across 3,123,689 acres nationwide, more than four times last year's total for the same time period, the information center said. (Postd, 12:50 a.m. Thursday)

Floods, landslides kill nearly 200 in central Indonesia

JAKARTA (CNN) -- Four days of heavy rains in Indonesia have triggered deadly floods and landslides, killing 188 people, the disaster task force in southern Sulewesi Province said Thursday.

At least 140 people were missing. Of the total number of deaths, 174 occurred in the Sinjai district of Sulawesi.

In some areas, floodwaters are more than 6 feet deep, the Social Affairs Ministry said Wednesday. The ministry has sent relief supplies, and search-and-rescue teams are looking for the missing. (Posted 10:50 p.m.)

New al-Zawahiri video posted on Islamic Web sites

(CNN) -- A new video message from the No. 2 figure in al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was posted on Islamic Web sites Wednesday evening.

In the video, al-Zawahiri, speaking in Arabic, addresses his message to the people of Afghanistan and talks about what he terms "crimes against the Afghan people by the Americans."

He claims to have recorded the message, which lasts 3 minutes and 44 seconds, the day after deadly riots in Kabul on May 29, and he calls on young men in Kabul's universities to rise up and "join in with the mujahidin forces in attacking the invaders and freeing Muslim Afghanistan."

Al-Zawahiri does not mention the death of Iraqi al Qaeda leader Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike on June 7. (Posted 10:45 p.m.)

Mother of U.S. soldier killed in Iraq dissatisfied with military's probe

(CNN) -- One of the parents briefed by the military Wednesday on a probe into the deaths of her son and another U.S. soldier in Iraq said she had no confidence that the investigation was thorough.

Military investigators have concluded that Spc. Patrick McCaffrey Sr. and another California National Guardsman were shot and killed in 2004 by Iraqi soldiers on patrol with them, the Army told CNN Tuesday.

McCaffrey and 1st Lt. Andre D. Tyson originally were reported to have died in an ambush.

Nadia McCaffrey said she told the military representatives who visited her on Wednesday that about a week before her son died, he told her he helped arrest two people who admitted to having shot at Americans."

She said investigators admitted there still was a lot that wasn't known about the incident. (Posted 10:03 p.m.)

Hundreds of old chemical shells found in Iraq, GOP lawmakers say

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two Republican lawmakers sought to reopen the debate on Iraq's weapons programs Wednesday, announcing that U.S. troops have found hundreds of aging chemical shells in Iraq since the 2003 invasion.

Some of those shells contained "degraded" mustard and nerve gas components and could pose a threat to American troops in Iraq, said Rep. Peter Hoekstra, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., said the discoveries refute critics of the 3-year-old war, some of whom said during Senate debate on the conflict Tuesday that no weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

The Pentagon said the weapons all dated from before the 1991 Persian Gulf war, and one official said most could no longer be used as designed.

But the man who completed the U.S. survey of weapons found in Iraq and a Democratic congresswoman agreed that the report cited by Hoekstra, R-Mich., and Santorum was old news. (Posted 7:29 p.m.)

Episcopalians reverse course, urge 'restraint' in selecting gay bishops

(CNN) -- A day after rejecting a proposal discouraging selection of any more openly gay or lesbian bishops, delegates to the Episcopal Church's general convention reversed course Wednesday, after a warning from the denomination's leader that they were risking a wider rupture with the worldwide Anglican Communion.

On the final day of their convention in Columbus, Ohio, bishops and delegates approved a resolution calling on church leaders involved in picking bishops "to exercise restraint by not consenting to the consecration of any candidate ... whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider church and will lead to further strains on communion."

The approval came after outgoing Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold summoned his fellow bishops and delegates to a joint meeting, where he implored them not to leave Columbus without taking some action to mollify Anglican leaders upset by the selection of a non-celibate openly gay man, Gene Robinson, to serve as bishop of the church's New Hampshire diocese in 2003. (Posted 6:44 p.m.)

Dissenting shuttle managers explain concerns about resuming shuttle flights

(CNN) -- An internal NASA dispute over the safety of resuming space shuttle flights took a public twist Wednesday, with the two shuttle managers at the center of the controversy explaining their objections to the media during a news teleconference.

NASA on Saturday officially set a July 1 launch date for the shuttle Discovery, following a two-day flight readiness review at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, despite "no-go" votes from Chief Safety and Mission Assurance Officer Bryan O'Connor and Chief Engineer Chris Scolese.

Both said that although they have reservations, they would not appeal the decision to proceed because the person who would decide the appeal, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, had heard already heard all the arguments for and against.

Furthermore, O'Connor said that while he has concerns, "I think that everybody in that room agreed that the loss-of-crew risk for this mission is acceptable." --From CNN's Kate Tobin (Posted 6:19 p.m.)

Iraqi parliament speaker wants probe into deadly U.S. airstrike

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- The speaker of Iraq's parliament demanded Wednesday an investigation into this week's bombing of a poultry farm in northern Iraq by U.S. warplanes, which he said killed "many innocent people."

Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, the speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, called, in a written statement, for "a quick and transparent investigation" into the airstrike.

"The speaker demanded the U.S. forces stop such trespasses and mistakes," the statement read. "Al-Mashhadani added that the Iraqi leadership should not fail to take action in order to stop the bloodshed of the lofty Iraqis and protect their souls."

Iraqi police said 13 people, including children and elderly adults, died when the U.S. military bombed the farm in a village northeast of Baquba early Tuesday. Another four people were wounded in the attack, they said. (Posted 5:20 p.m.)

Charges to be dropped against Hu protester

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Attorneys have reached an agreement under which all charges will be dropped against a woman who heckled Chinese President Hu Jintao during a White House ceremony on April 20, they announced at a hearing Wednesday in U.S. District Court.

Wenyi Wang was arrested after the ceremony and charged with the federal felony of willfully intimidating, coercing, threatening and harassing a foreign official.

In court, Wang's attorney, David Bos, presented a federal judge with a letter detailing a deal he's made with the U.S. attorney to dismiss the charges. The judge said that based on the agreement, if Wang does not commit the same crime during the coming year, the charges will be dropped.

Details from the letter were not immediately disclosed. --From CNN's Abbey Burchman (Posted 4:53 p.m.)

2 wounded in Gaza blast

GAZA CITY (CNN) -- Two Palestinians were wounded Wednesday in an explosion in a car in Gaza City, Palestinian security sources told CNN.

The cause of the blast was not immediately known, the sources said.

Palestinian security sources aid the car belonged to Yasser Dahlan, aid and relative to Mohammed Dahlan, former Fatah security chief in Gaza.

Yasser Dahlan's wife and another man in the car were wounded in the blast, which took place near a Palestinian security forces building. In Jerusalem, the Israeli army said it had no connection with the explosion. (Posted 4:45 p.m.)

Senate debates Iraq pullout; Dems call for change in strategy

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Senate opened debate Wednesday on a pair of Democratic measures calling for U.S. troops to start withdrawing from Iraq this year, with sponsors urging an end to what they called an "open-ended" American commitment.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich, is the primary sponsor of one proposed amendment, which would require U.S. troops to begin pulling out of Iraq by year's end and require the Bush administration to outline a plan for further withdrawals in 2007.

An alternative backed by Sens. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and John Kerry of Massachusetts would call for a complete U.S. withdrawal by July 2007 but keep an "over-the-horizon" presence in the region to carry out anti-terrorist operations.

Republicans, echoing the Bush administration, argued that setting any dates for the withdrawal of U.S. troops would give hope of victory to the insurgents battling American forces in the war.

Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., scolded both sides of the debate, warning against "gotcha" amendments that trivialize the seriousness of the war.

He said he opposes the Levin amendment -- but he warned that the U.S. influence in Iraq "is limited and becoming more limited every day." He said Congress must take a more active role in shaping American policy or risk further erosion of public support. (Posted 4:38 p.m.)

Military: 7 Marines, sailor charged with murder in Iraq killing

(CNN) -- Seven U.S. Marines and a Navy medical corpsman have been charged with murder, larceny and conspiracy related to the allegedly unprovoked killing of an Iraqi civilian April 26 near the town of Hamdaniya, Col. Stewart Navarre said Wednesday at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

They also face charges of assault, unlawfully entering a dwelling, kidnapping and obstruction of justice. Navarre declined to list specific counts against each men.

The troops are identified as Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins III, Cpl. Trent D. Thomas; medical corpsman 3rd Class Melson J. Bacos; Lance Cpl. Tyler A. Jackson; Pvt. 1st Class John Jodka; Lance Cpl Jerry E. Shumate Jr.; Lance Cpl. Robert B. Pennington; and Cpl. Marshall L. Magincalda.

Each man has retained civilian counsel, Navarre said. (Posted 4:27 p.m.)

4th soldier charged in killing of Iraqi detainees

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A fourth soldier from the 101st Airborne Division was charged Wednesday in connection with the shooting deaths of three detainees during an operation in Sallahadin province in May, the military said.

Spc. Juston R. Graber, 20, was charged with premeditated murder, attempted premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit murder and making a false official statement, according to a written statement.

The military announced Monday that an Army sergeant and two other soldiers had been charged in the case.

Pentagon sources have told CNN that the soldiers are alleged to have shot the detainees and then inaccurately reported that they did so as the prisoners fled. (Posted 4:25 p.m.)

MySpace.com increase protection for minors

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A popular social networking Web site has increased its security features, making it almost impossible for adults members to contact minor users.

MySpace.com said the new security measures announced Wednesday will make the popular online community a safer place for all of its teenager users, with whom the site is so popular.

The biggest change prohibits adult members from contacting any 14- and 15-year-old user if they don't know that user's full name or e-mail address. These restrictions make it impossible for adult strangers to view a minor's profile and ask to be a part of their list of friends.

MySpace also said it is targeting advertisements to age-appropriate groups and allowing members of all ages the option to make their profiles private. --From CNN's Cheryl Bronson (Posted 4:24 p.m.)

Attorney: Saddam, co-defendants to start hunger strike to protest lawyer's slaying

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Saddam Hussein and his seven codefendants will start an indefinite hunger strike Thursday to protest the killing of an Iraqi attorney who sat on the defense team, according to Najib al-Nouemi, the former Qatar Justice Minister and member of the defense team.

Al-Nouemi spoke to CNN by phone from Doha, Qatar. In Baghdad, Badi Aref, attorney for former Iraqi foreign minister Tariq Aziz, confirmed al-Nouemi's information.

The two attorneys said that the codefendants would not end the strike until defense attorneys are put under international protection and until they know who killed Khamis al-Ubaidi, whose bullet-riddled body was found Wednesday morning by Iraqi police. (Posted 4:05 p.m.)

1 killed, 9 wounded in Afghanistan suicide bombing

(CNN) -- One person was killed and nine were wounded, including two Canadian troops, by a suicide car bomb targeting a Canadian convoy Wednesday in Kandahar, authorities said.

The explosion occurred about 7:30 p.m., said Daoud Akhmadi, spokesman for the governor of Kandahar province. Those injured included a policeman, he said.

The injured soldiers were taken to a military hospital, where one was in serious condition and the other was judged to have suffered minor injuries, according to the Canadian Defense Ministry. Both soldiers were in a military vehicle when the explosion happened, about 1 kilometer west of Kandahar, the ministry said. --Journalist Tom Coghlan contributed to this report. (Posted 3:30 p.m.)

U.S. ambassador to U.N. rejects direct talks with North Korea

UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Wednesday rejected direct talks with North Korea on the latest crisis involving the possible launching of a long-range missile

"You don't normally engage in conversations by threatening to launch intercontinental ballistic missiles," Ambassador John Bolton told reporters Wednesday, "and it's not a way to produce a conversation because if you acquiesce in aberrant behavior you simply encourage the repetition of it, which we're obviously not going to do."

He added, "Obviously, the priority remains trying to persuade North Korea not to conduct the launch,"

Bolton said he was discussing with members of the Security Council options if North Korea decides to test a missile. (Posted 3:14 p.m.)

'Railway Killer' competent to be executed, judge rules

HOUSTON (CNN) -- A Texas judge ruled Wednesday that convicted "Railway Killer" Angel Maturino Resendiz is competent to be executed.

Maturino Resendiz, thought to have killed as many as 14 people, is scheduled for execution Tuesday in Huntsville, Texas.

His attorneys argued before the 178th State District Court on the competency issue, but Harris County District Judge Bill Harmon ruled against them.

Maturino Resendiz was found guilty in 2000 of the December 1998 rape-slaying of Houston-area physician Claudia Benton. (Posted 2:41 p.m.)

Iraq al Qaeda-linked group says it has decided to kill Russian diplomats

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A group linked to al Qaeda said in a statement posted on a Web site Wednesday it had decided to kill four Russian diplomats after Moscow did not meet its demands within 48 hours.

The Russian Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, urged the insurgents "not to take an irreparable step and preserve the lives of our men."

CNN cannot independently verify the authenticity of the Mujahedeen Shura Council statement Wednesday, but it was posted on a Web site that frequently has carried messages from insurgent groups.

It was unclear from the statement whether the Shura Council had carried out the threat. (Posted 2:30 p.m.)

Israeli missile misses target, kills 2, wounds 10 in house, Palestinian sources say

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- An Israeli missile -- aimed at a group of militants -- missed its target Wednesday and hit a house in Khan Younis, killing a brother and sister and wounding 10 others, Palestinian security sources and witnesses said.

The Israel Defense Forces said it had launched an airstrike against four militants -- members of the Popular Resistance Committees -- who were in a car in southern Gaza. The IDF said the militants were en route to carry out an attack against Israel.

It said the devices it uses in its attacks are accurate and it is checking how the missile missed the target.

Palestinian hospital sources said the woman who was killed was pregnant. They said four children, three men and three women were among the wounded. (Posted 1:37 p.m.)

Saudi al Qaeda releases video of man they say was to be 20th hijacker

(CNN) -- An islamic Web site posted a video Tuesday released by a group calling itself al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula of what the group said was the a man Osama bin Laden intended to be the 20th hijacker on Sept. 11, 2001.

The video shows clips of Fawaz al-Nashmi -- also known as Turki bin Fhaid al-Mutairi. It follows by a few days another Web posting from the group that claims al-Nashmi was the man chosen by Osama bin Laden to be the 20th hijacker.

Al-Nashmi was a Saudi who later participated in a terrorist attack against oil workers in Khobar, Saudi Arabia. He was killed in a shootout with Saudi authorities in June 2004, shortly after the kidnapping and beheading of an American engineer.

Other people have previously been identified as the possible 20th hijacker. --From CNN Senior Producer Henry Schuster

1 killed, 7 wounded in suicide bombing

(CNN) -- One person was killed and seven were injured Wednesday by a suicide car bomb targeting a Canadian convoy in Kandahar, authorities said.

The explosion occurred about 7:30 p.m., said Daoud Akhmadi, spokesman for the governor of Kandahar province. Those injured included a policeman, he said.

The attack happened in western Kandahar, he said. --From Journalist Tom Coghlan (Posted 1:03 p.m.)

FBI: Prison guard fires on agents sent to arrest him

(CNN) -- A corrections officer at a Tallahassee, Fla., federal prison started shooting Wednesday as federal agents attempted to arrest him and other guards, officials said. A federal agent and the gunman were killed in the ensuing shootout, and a Bureau of Prisons official was wounded.

Federal agents were serving arrest warrants on six guards when the shooting occurred. A grand jury on Tuesday indicted the six on charges including exchanging contraband for sex with female inmates. Federal law enforcement sources told CNN the contraband material included drugs.

The guards also are accused of attempting to keep the inmates silent through money and intimidation, according to the indictment, a copy of which was obtained by CNN.

When the guard began shooting, federal agents returned fire, killing the gunman, according to Jeff Westcott, spokesman for the FBI's Jacksonville office. An agent with the Office of Inspector General died, he said. (Posted 12:52 p.m.)

VA offering free credit monitoring in wake of data theft

WASHINGTON (CNN)-- The Department of Veterans Affairs will offer a free credit-monitoring service to all veterans effected by the data theft of confidential information on veterans, VA Secretary Jim Nicholson announced Wednesday.

The data, which included about 26 million listings, was on a laptop computer that was stolen from the Silver Spring, Md., home of a VA employee. It included names, Social Security numbers and other sensitive information.

Nicholson said a smaller number of people is at actually risk from the data theft -- about 17.5 million -- because millions of names were duplications, were for deceased people or did not list an address.

In addition, Nicholson said, there is "no evidence" that the data has been used to this point. Neither the laptop nor the data has been recovered. (Posted 12:45 p.m.)

Gunmen kidnap 50 Iraqi factory workers

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Gunmen hijacked five buses carrying at least 50 workers at a factory north of Baghdad Wednesday afternoon, an Iraqi police official said.

The workers had just loaded onto the buses at the end of their shift when the gunmen commandeered them near the Nasr al-Adhim (Great Victory) general complex about 12 miles north of Baghdad at 3 p.m. Wednesday, the official said.

The factory makes school benches and blackboards, after having produced plastic containers during the regime of Saddam Hussein, the official said. (Posted 11:39 a.m.)

Bush: North Korean missile test 'should make people nervous'

VIENNA (CNN) -- President Bush warned North Korea that it would face further isolation if it violated agreements by test launching a missile believed capable of reaching the continental United States.

"The North Koreans have made agreements with us in the past and we expect them to keep their agreements," Bush said during a news conference at the end of a European Union summit Wednesday.

"It should make people nervous when non-transparent regimes, that have announced that they've got nuclear warheads, fire missiles," Bush said. "This is not the way you conduct business in the world. This is not the way that peaceful nations conduct their affairs."

Bush said the United States is reaching out to other nations to send the message to North Korea that "in order to be an accepted nation, a non-isolated nation, there are certain international norms that you must live by and we expect them to live by those norms." (Posted 11:18 a.m.)

Bush: .'I'd like to end Guantanamo' but 'cold-blooded killers' will not be freed

VIENNA (CNN) -- President Bush said Wednesday he understands European concerns about the 460 detainees the United States is holding at Guantanamo Bay, but he said "cold-blooded killers" will not be freed because "they will murder somebody if they're let out on the street."

Bush, speaking in Vienna at the end of a European Union Summit, said he, too, would "like to end Guantanamo" and that the United States is "working through the issue."

"One of the things we will do is we will send people back to their home countries," Bush said. About 200 detainees have been repatriated, he said. Most of the remaining prisoners are from Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and Yemen, he said.

"There are some who need to be tried in U.S. courts," Bush said. "They are cold-blooded killers. They will murder somebody if they're let out on the street. ... I'm waiting for the Supreme Court of the United States to determine the proper venue in which these can be tried." (Posted 10:17 a.m.)

Bush: Mid-August answer from Iran on nuke talks is 'an awful long time'

VIENNA (CNN) -- President Bush said Iran has "weeks, not months" to give its answer to a United States proposal for incentives and negotiations concerning Iran's nuclear program.

Bush, in a news conference at a European Union summit in Vienna, said Wednesday's announcement by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that a response would come on August 22 "seems like an awful long time for a reasonable answer, for a reasonable proposal."

"It shouldn't take the Iranians that long to analyze what is a reasonable deal," Bush said. (Posted 9:33 a.m.)

16 bodies found in Mosul neighborhoods

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Sixteen bullet-riddled bodies have been recovered in various Mosul neighborhoods over the past 24 hours, according to police and hospital officials.

Authorities identified 10 of the bodies, officials said. They included two Iraqi soldiers, three Iraqi police officers, four Iraqi traders and an officer with the Iraqi army during former leader Saddam Hussein's regime.

The bodies were sent to the morgue in central Mosul.

Mosul is in Nineveh province, about 400 kilometers (249 miles) north of Baghdad. (Posted 8:40 a.m.)

Bush meets with EU leaders at Vienna summit

VIENNA (CNN) -- President Bush Wednesday met with several European Union leaders at a summit where he is expected push for more international aid for the fledgling Iraqi government and continuation of a coordinated stand against Iran's nuclear program.

Bush met with Austrian President Heinz Fischer and Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel, as well as European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

Austria currently holds the rotating EU presidency. The U.S.-EU summit will not include the heads of other European governments.

For their part, EU representatives are expected to push the president to shut down the terrorist detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which comes under persistent criticism in Europe.

Wednesday's meetings are a chance for Bush to demonstrate that the United States and its European allies are united when it comes to demanding that Iran suspend is nuclear enrichment and reprocessing activities -- or face possible sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council. (Posted, 6:35 a.m.)

U.S. military: Heavy fighting against Taliban in southern Afghanistan to last for several months

(CNN) -- Residents of southern Afghanistan can expect heavy fighting "over the coming months" between Taliban fighters and coalition forces, a U.S. military spokesman said Wednesday.

"There is going to be a lot of fighting, there is going to be a lot of activity," coalition spokesman Col. Tom Collins said at a weekly news conference in Kabul. "But by the end of summer, you will have significantly more troops down there as NATO progresses into the area and the Taliban is ultimately going to lose in that area."

The fighting, which is part of Operation Mountain Thrust, is an effort to rout out Taliban forces in "areas where the government doesn't have a presence right now," Collins said.

The operation which involves more than 10,000 U.S., Afghan and coalition forces was launched earlier this month in Kandahar, Oruzgan, Helmand, and Zabul provinces. (Posted, 5:45 a.m.)

2 dead, 4 injured in Sadr City car bomb

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A car bomb detonated Wednesday outside a Baghdad restaurant in the Shia neighborhood of Sadr City, killing two and wounding four others, according to Baghdad emergency police.

The bomb detonated around 12:45 p.m. (4:45 a.m. ET). -- From CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq (Posted, 5:15 a.m.)

Floods, landslides kill at least 112 in central Indonesia; 22 missing

JAKARTA (CNN) -- Three days of heavy rains in Indonesia have triggered deadly floods and landslides, killing at least 112 people while rescuers search for 22 others, the local disaster task force reported Wednesday.

The floods and landslides have destroyed at least 31 homes and severely damaged 109 others in southern Sulewesi Province in the central part of Indonesia, according to the Social Affairs Ministry.

The Sinjai district of Sulawesi has been hardest hit. In some areas, flood water stands over six feet high (2 m), the ministry said.

The ministry has sent medicine, blankets and other relief supplies to the area, while local officials have formed search and rescue teams to find those missing. -- From Journalist Andy Saputra (Updated, 5:15 a.m.)

Attorney: Saddam lawyer shot to death after abducted by insurgents posing as police

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Iraqi police Wednesday morning discovered the bullet-riddled body of Khamees al-Ubaidi, a lead defense attorney for former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, according to Baghdad emergency police.

An hour before his body was found, a group of insurgents dressed as Iraqi police stormed al-Ubaidi's home and asked him to come to the Ministry of Interior of questioning, according to Najib al-Nouemi, a fellow defense counsel for Hussein.

Al-Ubaidi's wife asked to see their identification, which they showed, and left with al-Ubaidi around 7 a.m. (11 p.m. Tuesday ET), according to al-Nouemi.

He is the third member of the defense team to have been killed since the start of the trial late last year. (Updated, 5:08 a.m.)

Memphis police search for man suspected of kidnapping 2 females

(CNN) -- Memphis police early Wednesday were searching for an armed and dangerous man suspected of kidnapping two females, one of whom managed to escape and alert police.

Police found the other girl --- Thuydung Cao, 16, -- early Wednesday bound inside a vehicle hidden in a wooded area near Southaven, Miss., just south of Memphis, according to Memphis Police Chief Tom Long.

They were able to find Cao after another female led them to the area, telling police she escaped from Binh Lam Ho, 23, the same armed kidnapper who abducted Cao, Long said.

Police did not provide any information about the female, who told police she had escaped by spraying Ho with mace before jumping out of the car, Long said.(Updated, 4:50 a.m.)

U.S. military: Iraqi soldiers capture head of Baghdad assassination squad

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Iraqi soldiers early Wednesday captured the leader of an assassination cell in Baghdad, according to a U.S. military release.

The soldiers, supported by coalition advisers, netted two individuals -- including Noori Abu Hayder Al-Oqabi -- after raiding two areas in the Kadhamiya district of western Baghdad.

Noori, identified as a high-level insurgent, recently became the head of a "punishment committee" that executes those believed to be against his organization, the military said.

He and his followers are wanted for kidnapping, torturing and murdering Iraqis in Baghdad, including the kidnapping and killing of 14 Iraqi soldiers last month, the military said. (Posted, 3:18 a.m.)

U.S. ambassador says North Korea serious about missile test

TOKYO (CNN) -- Amid suspicion that North Korea is issuing idle threats to test a long-range missile, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer told reporters Wednesday that Washington believes "steps have been taken for a real test" and that the U.S. is ready to respond.

Reports of a possible North Korean missile test emerged last week, when U.S. and South Korean officials said North Korea appeared to be preparing a test of the Taepodong-2, which could reach the United States.

"We have greater technical measures of tracking than in the past and we have options that we have not had in the past, and all these options are on the table," Schieffer told reporters Wednesday, when asked how the United States would respond to such a test.

He would not elaborate, but noted that "all options (are) on the table."

A North Korean official said Wednesday his country is not bound by a self-declared moratorium on long-range missile testing which Pyongyang has observed since 1999. (Posted, 3:18 a.m.)

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